Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-04
PART H.-CHAPTER II.

PART n-CHAPTER II.
THE SHADOW OF A NEW DAY
The hour still lacked something of
dawn. The moon was dull in the West,
and the stars were paling. There was
light enough to see the length of the
deck, where the view was not obstruct-
ed, and as yet there was no sign OF
outbreak. The Captain walked for
ward with Crawford. saw that the
watch were awake, and that the look
out was at his post, and stopped mo-
ment to observe the men. A silence
fell upon them as they saw him.
''Where's that big mulatto?" he
abruptly asked. ''Can any of you tell
me?"
There were several head-shakes, and
two or three negatives In Spanish.
'.May be jump overheard" one of
the negroes growled.
Hiding, likely" one of the Migrants
ventured.
''Now mark me, men!' the Captain
said. 'You know what manner of
man am: I'm not to be fooled with.
Some of you know where that fellow is,
We shall be at Nassau before dark,
and then that man will go ashore in
irons. He'll go if it takes the whole
British garrison to bring him out. You
hear me? Just tell him that, and that
he'd better deliver himself up peaca-
bly,"
The two walked aft again.
Il don't think I'd have told them
that, sir" said Crawford.
"Why not?"
at may make them more desper-
ate''
'.Pshaw! Such fellows as those ne
groes are always desperate. What
they need is to feel the strong hand on
them. They hadn't heard from me for
several hours, and thought it time to
show myself to them again"
He stopped and leaned against the
long-boat. His companion was silent.
another day of this suspense and
vigilance. and We'll make port again
and rid ourselves of these pests.
81 hope 50, sir"
The Captain said nothing, for a mo-
ment, and then suddenly asked:
'.Mr. Crawford, are you supersti-
tious?'
81 don't know that ann He adj
ded, with laugh: II suppose I'm not
enough of sailor for that
"You say that in jest; but there's
truth i'm it. Now look at me. You see
what 1 am; you know me pretty well.
You wouldn't take me for a man likely
to give way to presentiments?"
Certainly not
''And yet, / tell you that in the hours
of this night that has just ended the
belief has been forced upon me that 1
shall not see another sunset"
you'll see many hundreds of them,
sir. don't wonder you are disturbed
in mind by what has happened on this
vessel in less than twenty-four hours;
but I'm confident the worst is over"
"You think I'm nervous and Eighty,
as most men would be in my place.
You are wrong. If you should feel
my pulse you would find it as steady
and strong as the beat of the pendu-
lum. 1 am not governed by any weak
fear; it is simply powerful PRESENT.
ment of speedy death that has come
to me-"
His words We're so solemn that Craw-
ford could at first make no reply.
''Still," he at last ventured, ''you
must admit that there is no peril that
threatens you that does not equally
threaten me-"
"Not at all. My belief is just as firm
that you will escape these dangers and
live long to tell about them. Justlook
back at what has happened to you in
the past month! Fate has been won
derfully kind to you, and will continue
to be, l verify believe. You are
marked for life, not death. No man
can do the things that you have done,
without having what 1 should call q
firm grip on existence. Don't ask me
how all this seems so clear to me; / feel
it-but can no more explain it than /
can tell what made this wind rise, and
what keeps it blowing"
There was absolutely nothing that
Henry Crawford could say. The Cap
tain's manner warned him that what
had been said was but the prelude to
something of great Importance that was
to follow.
cit Is not a mere idle whim that
leads me to tell you this, Captain Willis
went on. IF 1 supposed that we
were all to be involved in n common
disaster, and that none of US should
ever sail into Boston harbor, you
would have heard nothing of this from
me. It is because I thoroughly be-